Friction-gear for railway draft-rigging.



l. F. OCONNOR. FRmTloN GEAR FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLlCATON FILED IUNE l0. 1915.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

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JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS, lASSICirNOR T0 WILLIAM H. MINEE. OF CHAZY, NEW YORK.

FBICTION-GEAR FOB RAILWAY DRAET-RIGGIG.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNon, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook Aand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction-Gears for Railway Draft-Rigging, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying. drawings, forming a part of this specification.'

his invention relates to improvements in friction gears for railway draft rigging.

In the operation of railway draft riggings of the friction type, it has heretofore been found that while the gears may be developed to absorb the heavy shocks imposed upon them, under certain conditions the gears may not readily release; for instance, when a heavy train is being drawn up a grade and after a heavy shock has been iinposed upon the gears and the tractive effort does not decrease beyond a certain point if the gears have been compressed to their full capacity, the continuance of the heavy tractive eiort may be suilicient to prevent the gear from fully'releasing, since the releasing action or expanding -action of the springs is not sufficient to move the ele ments of the gear to fully released position against the constant pull exerted by the 1ocoinotive. The result 'of this is, that subsequent additional shocks intended to be absorbed by the gears are transmitted to the gear which is substantially solid. Briefly explained, this action may be stated as follows: Upon the initial heavy blow, the shock is absorbed by the friction gear in a graduated manner until the maximum capacity of the gear is reached. This maximum capacity is reached by a movement of the friction elements of three to, .four inches. In the release of the gear after the maximum capacity has been reached, the capacity drops from the maximum `to a relatively very small amount, say thirtyk or forty thousand pounds, while the friction elements movi` in the release direction only-a very slight proportion of their total possible movement; that is, the capacity of the gear during the release action will drop from the maximum to say thirty or forty thousand pounds while the friction elements return in the release 'direction a distance of only a few hiin dredths of an inch, which distance is so Speoication of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 28, 1919.

has dropped to say thirty or forty thousand pounds, and the friction elements have remained practically in their fully closed position, the tractive effort or pull on the gear is over the thirty 'or forty thousand pounds, which is not at all unusual when long trains are being hauled up grades, the tendency of the gear to release is less than the force of the tractive effort to hold all the parts in their same relative position. Consequently, when another heavy shock is encountered, it must ybe absorbed by the gear with a movement of the friction elements equal to said few hundredths of an inch, which practically means that the shock is absorbed by a solid gear. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, this condition causes excessive wear and damage to the draft rigging and cai' and is extremely undesirable.

The object of my invention is to provide a friction gear for draft riggings which is free from any of the possible defects 0f op` era-tion above indicated and in which a certain and full release of the friction elements will always occur under any operating conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a friction gear having a greater shock absorbing capacity than those heretofore employed and using a similar arrangement of 'friction elements proper.

The invention furthermore consists in the improvements of the parts and devices, and in the novel combinations of theparts and devices as herein shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing forming apart of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of a draft rigging showing my improvements in connection tlierewith, the parts being in normaler fully released position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the gear proper, showing the position of the parts after a slight initial movement. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts under full compression. Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In said drawing, l0 denotes the center or draft sill to which are attached the rear and front stops 11 and 12. The draw bai. 13 is operatively connected with the gear proper oy a hooded oost 31o-ke le. pai-ts ire9 or may be, of any mieli-known or desirecl. coiistiiicioii.

The 'iliictioii goei* piopei, :ie shown, comprises a combined f ctioii shell eiifl Spring casing designated geiieriiiiy Jelio reference 1%..; said membei fiv liaise i friction Shell oi oyliiidei iii-oper i5, fi fiom Spring cliiiiiiiioi? 16, and zi i'co' epi'iig olioiiiloei: ifi'. @o operable with ti'ie ifi iotiori eiieil. is e piiiiuiiiy oi` 'friction eiioee i8, aofi e Wee 1 oi spi'ciifieic 19, :i piiiaiiity of 2ii.tifriction 'folle being iiieipoeci beizweeii 'miie Wedge oi' epireecieic' @iid lie i'ietioii shoes. iiioveiiieii of the rioiioii P*hoes isi' ed iii 'moin 2l? the coiis Li-iefi iiioiii spying having their i'eiii oi' iiiiiei ends loeoi ing upon :i iefieliobie oiieiiioviibie iiollmi'ei oi paiiioii iiiicli is lieiai iii iixeai ifeiai lion yelo'ively io the iiioii'iliei; iii. by am iiioriizii iiiiiiii'lfii elioiiiclei which seiioiwies tl'ie i'oiit epiiiig clieiiiboi from 5 spring 'lieiiioeiu 'lie ioot ends o lie iiinei ziiifi outer coils of Suid, iiiaiiii epiiim bevi* zigziiziet e, clip-shaped follower wueliei' iizwing alii eiiiiiilzii lange 155 engaging Jlio inner eiicl'e of the shoes zuid the iisliei poi-- tioii 2G tlieieo'f engages elioiildei's 2? oi the iiiiiei sides of the shoes. As will be zippai'eii't, upon actuation oi the goei', moveiiieiie ci? the Wedge wiil be ieeieted by said main spiiiig tliiougli the iiiteimodiaijf oi the {rieti/on shoes in ziv well-known moiiiiei, mii lilrie release will occiii' iii the usuel man nel'. in filie ieiiff Spring clifiiiiliei: i? pron vided a, eeeoiifi moin spring coiifipi'iscrl. o? im. outeiooi 28 and o, nesie inner coil seid coils beriiiiig @it their i'eziienfle :against the Weill 30 and loose 3l oi' the moiiibei' A. The front eiieis of seid coils '28 anni 9.9 lieai against e movable spring folio-wei' 252, which lill) in normal it Sitioii, is located Within 1the se cess oimed oy the iiiiiiulzu rib 22%. Euch of the followers 22 and is ceiitially recessed and. extending lii'ougli sifif recesses is on eioiigoted hollow plunger which extends from the follower 3:2 to o point siigiitiy spzice from ille iiiiiei' end of the Wedge oi spreader 1 .9 eee l). lliiteiiiiieg through iie piuiigei' i3 oiiowei- 32, boss 3i. andiiefige i9, is e connecting ioci o'f bolt 34e? odeptefi iii hold, the parte in ziseemeiei position and io nin-intein the sgiiiiige onder an inia'i compieseioii.

in opeiiiioii the i'esisteiico to the moveo.i ziie shoes iiiiol 'svefige by the main spring iii 'iie eiiaiibei' 16 is 'es lieietoi'ofe desoiibeei. in addition to lic foregoing, the Wecigeor spieader is iesis'ed by the tzipoeity of the i'eiu moin spring; diieeliiy through 'the Jfollower 32 @n plunger 33, elle elenifmiee befaween the from; ciid ci? *"ie luutei' and the iif'ecigo boing provided to :vive :in easy linitial .acti-oo lili oliei 'wom1 snoek absorb epi'iiig capacity Y oi. Upon. ifeleziee., elle 'fooi' iioifiiifijoriiig. mii ,riet

ifeeteel loy' o main of iiezii'y @opacity This ou wird ii'ioveii'ieiit of the wed e wiil iLooeiitioii. By iz'liie ei'ieiisgomont, obi; o,

releasing ceofic o); of Sci ziiies that oin- 'veiiioiiJ ye .i iil o, that mime-roue changes mici iii( @muelles 'may made iii yLoo deeie iii Construction omi arrangements of parte Witiiou departing iii'oii die Spirit of the iiiveiitioii. i :im oleo aware that y1li-lie improvemenomay be embodied iii many l5/'pee of 'i'iotion gemis other than that liere- Scmliecl2 but ali other oiiaiigeiiieiiie peioim ing a, eimilai: or eqeivalent iinction.

,l cliiiiio:

i.. A fiictioii gooi' for die@ iiggiiigs which coii'ipiises, a friction shell, friction slices and wecloe copeiiible tlfieiewibli,4 :L mein spring zing movement oi' said slices, o secoiiel :.iiiifin spring iii aliiieiiiemb with the named mein spring, sind, means exo', l'iiioiigli the iii-St iiaz'oei main spiiiig iii posed. between the second named moin spring; and smid Wedge to thereby loio'vifle ofi tional resistance to the movem et of wedge in absorbing shocks imd- 'fco canoe eeio lost named. spying jno ac: dii'ectly on the wedge iii release end. ioepeiideiitly of i; e release movement soidelioee 2;. ii u friction geom the coiiibimiiioii 'with e combined friction heli :mel swing; easing having two spifiiig Wwiiliiem iic 'on' and Wedge copespring iii ooo il one eiolioeiiiiieot ci my iii-l directly with said shoes, of a second spring in the other spring chamber, and means interposed between said spring and the wedge whereby movement of the wedge is resisted indirectly by one spring through the shoes and directly by the other spring.

8. In a friction gear, the combination with a combined friction shell and spring casing having two spring chambers arranged in tandem and separated by shoulders on the interior thereof, friction shoes and Wedge coperable with said shell, and a spring within the front one of saidchambers and arranged to resist movement-of said shoes, the rear end of said spring being prevented from movement relatively to said shell by said shoulders, of a main spring located in the rear spring chamber and having its rear end bearing against the rear wall of said shell and casing, a follower bearing against the front end of said rear spring, and a plunger interposed between said follower and said wedge.

4. In a friction gear, the combination with a combined friction shell and spring casing having a friction cylinder and two spring chambers separated by an internal annular shoulder, a main spring in the rear spring chamber and follower at the front end of said spring, a spring within the front spring chamber and held from rearward movement relatively to said cylinder by said shoulder, i

a plurality of friction shoes, a wedge coi operable with said shoes, anti-friction rollers interposed between said wedge and shoes, of a plunger extending from said follower through the front spring chamber to a point adjacent the inner end of said wedge.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell and spring casing, of a plurality of friction elements coperable with 'said shell, said elements including a spreader, a pair of A springs within the casing7 one of said springs being adapted to resist movement of all of the friction elements during the entire compressive stroke, and a column acting member interposed between the second s ring and said spreader whereby the sprea er is adapted to be directly resisted by said second spring, the column acting member being of slightly lesser length than the distance between said spreader and the second spring, whereby a preliminary movement of the friction elements is obtained without actuation of said second spring.l

6. A friction shock absorbing mechanism for railway draft riggings and the like, said mechanism including a combined friction shell and spring casing, a series of friction shoes coperable with the shell, a spreader located centrally of the shoes and co-activ g therewith, a spring for directly resistin movement of said shoes relatively to the she l and mounted within said casing, a second spring located in alinenient with the first named spring at a greater distance from the `friction shoes, andmeans interposed between `lthe'spreader and the second named spring whereby the latter is adapted to directly resist movement of the spreader and effect its release.

`In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto s bscribed my name this 1st day of June 19 5.

JOI-IN F. OCON N OR. 

